Ugh, today was a miserable run from the school, to the post office, to the bank. After what felt like an eternity--ten minutes, o-ship bun-- I finally explained that I wanted POSTCARDS and TWO letters mailed to America. At which point I had to rush to the bank to meet a fellow teacher to send a few million won back home. I barely made it, but fortunately the bank manager spoke good English and helped me differentiate between the account and routing number on my checkbook (I don't remember that sort of thing.)
After that my friend, at the last minute naturally, cancelled on me, which rather annoyed me, but I was not about to do nothing. I intially meant to take a book to the Children's Park up the street, lovely benches and lots of trees, but it was getting late and there wasn't a whole lot of sun left even considering summer hours.
But it all got better, quickly.
I made an impulsive decision to drop by Yang Yeon Kyoung's house. I trekked up the steep concrete steps, held my breath, and pressed the buzzer. A tinny "Yobuseyo?" greeted my ears, and I replied, "Chloe iyeyo." Yeon Kyoung's youngest brother opened the door.
Yeon Kyoung wasn't due home till 6:30 (at the "hagwon") and so I spent the next hour-ish playing with her brothers and looking at for the return of the girls (her sister, too). I did my best to utilize what little Korean I had in my vocabulary, assisted by my phrasebook. It's actually coming along, and will come along better. I told Yeon Kyoung tonight, "Nanun mae-il jamchim shigan-ae Hangul malhago shipayo." ("Everyday, I want to speak Korean with you at lunchtime.")
I stayed for dinner, which was pork cutlets and some rather delicious side dishes, a salty seaweed which you wrapped around rice with your chopsticks and fried fish cakes in soy sauce.
I relaxed for a bit after dinner, drinking coffee and talking to Yeon Kyoung.
Below is a sample of our conversation, "assisted" by her brother, Jae Eun.
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